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January 23, 2006

Justice Is Blind: Is THAT What You Call "Good Behavior"?

Here are a few blind items of judicial gossip to usher in the new year:

1. This prominent appeals court judge parties a little too heartily for his own good. At one legal conference, he got so drunk that he had to be carried back to his hotel room -- where the partying continued, through the consumption of tequila shots! The following day, he was spotted with a bad hangover and a pronounced limp (the result of injuring his foot on the dance floor the night before).

2. In contrast to the jurist just mentioned, who may engage in excessive fraternization with non-judges, this Supreme Court short-lister isn't exactly Miss Congeniality. After she delivered a speech at a midwestern law school, she had lunch with some law students and faculty members -- where she proceeded to alienate the entire group, with her pedantic, constant correction of minor misstatements, made by her dining companions in casual conversation.

This judge's distance caused several attendees to dub her "an ice queen." When one law student asked about the judge's family, in a well-intentioned effort at small talk, the judge responded frostily: "I'd rather not get into such matters -- and certainly not with you!" (While a judge's reluctance to discuss her personal life is entirely understandable, the "certainly not with you" was gratuitious; the inquiry could have been deflected far more politely.)

3. This East Coast circuit judge, who was a distinguished legal academic before taking the bench, has a weakness for reruns of Xena: Warrior Princess.

4. After this comely district judge was nominated as a judicial hottie, a former colleague emailed her about the contest and said that he would vote for her. The judge subsequently declared herself to be "mortified" by the proceedings -- but maybe she was just upset that she didn't make the top five!

5. This female circuit judge was asked for her reaction when a colleague of hers was nominated as a judicial superhottie, but she was not. This judge quipped: "Well, I've been dubbed a judicial diva. Hotness fades; but diva-hood is forever!"

Having attended the lunch mentioned in item #2, I'd like to assure all and sundry that the incident was overblown. Indeed, the night before, along with another student, I had a drink with the judge at an on-campus restaurant. She was quiet, but charming. Perhaps your correspondent needs to relax.